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Big swim meet this weekend at Riverton Aquatic Center

Feb 21, 2013 - By Bruce Tippets, Sports Editor

Riverton will be hosting the Wyoming State Championship "B" swim meet Saturday and Sunday at the Riverton Aquatic Center.

The first day's competition begins at 11 a.m. There will be 15 teams at the meet.

The meet is a last chance for the swimmers who haven't made the "A" state qualification times so far this season.

The range of swimmers will be from 3 years old to 50. Riverton has 24 swimmers signed up for the meet.

"We are hoping to be able to provide a great competitive atmosphere and provide every swimmer the chance to be able to compete in the "A" state championship," Riverton swim club coach Rod Settlemire said. .

"The Riverton team is still a young club," Settlemire said. "We don't have a lot of depth right now, but the talent in the up-and-coming swimmers is looking really good."

Stettlemire said Lander is one of the top programs in the state.

"There are quite a few veteran teams that did well and Lander is always a super strong competitor," Settlemire said.

The winter season starts in early September and lasts until the Winter State Championship in early March.

"The Riverton swim club has a vision to be able to produce a swimmer for the middle school and high school swim team that is an asset and a true competitor," Settlemire said.

"Each swimmer will be proficient in the four strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) so that the coaches will have a swimmer in any event or any distance."

The summer season will begin in April and continue through the end of July.

"Attendance typically drops a little, so there are more opportunities for new swimmers to join the team," Settlemire said. "To do well in swimming, it takes more than a few months. It easily turns into a lifelong sport."

The youngest swimmer on the Riverton team is 4, and the oldest is nearing 40.

"We have a huge range of ages and abilities," Settlemire said.

The largest group of swimmers in the club is 9-10 years old.

"We are hoping to convince more high school swimmers to join the team," Settlemire said. "The are conditioned physically and mentally, so we can become more competitive with Gillette and Cheyenne."

Conference meet

Riverton brought 32 swimmers to Worland Saturday and Sunday and ended in fourth in the team standings.

"I'm very proud of all our swimmers and had a great time watching some of them compete for the first time," Settlemire said.

"We are so close to the end of the season, and everyone gave their best effort. Worland seems to have a fast pool, so it was great to swim there."

Jordan Settlemire earned five firsts and scored an additional five second-place positions in the 15-and-over women's division.